Prisoners of Yemen war exchanged

SANAA — The Yemeni government and Houthi militias freed scores of prisoners on Sunday on the last of a three-day exchange of nearly 900 detainees, boosting hopes of ending their protracted civil war.

Planes carrying detainees took off at the same time from the Houthi-held capital of Sanaa and the government-controlled northern city of Marib, the International Committee of the Red Cross said.

The first flight from Marib and the first flight from Sanaa have left," said ICRC media adviser Jessica Moussan. "Forty eight former detainees were on board the Marib-Sanaa flight, and 42 on the Sanaa-Marib flight."

Three other flights during the day were to complete the deal reached in Switzerland last month to exchange 181 government forces for 706 Houthi militias.

Mahdi al-Mashat, chairman of Houthi's political council, said the next round of talks with Saudi Arabia, which leads the military coalition against the Houthis, would start after the Eid al-Fitr holiday expected on Friday, Yemen's Saba news agency reported.

Reuniting with families

The last talks ended hours before 318 prisoners were transported on four flights on Friday between government-controlled Aden and Sanaa, reuniting detainees with their families.

On Saturday, 357 detainees took flights between the Saudi city of Abha and Sanaa. Saudis were among the prisoners freed.

It is not known how many prisoners each side still has.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed the swap, his spokesman Stephane Dujarric said on Friday.

"The secretary-general joins the (UN) Special Envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg, today welcoming the start of the release operation of conflict-related detainees. Nearly 900 are being released by the parties over three days, starting today."

The swap comes under the implementation of a plan agreed on by the parties at the last meeting of the Supervisory Committee on the Detainees' Exchange Agreement, which took place in Switzerland in March, he said.

The prisoner exchange came after the Houthis and Saudi Arabia on Friday wrapped up an intensive round of negotiations in Sanaa to revive an expired cease-fire and embark on talks to settle the conflict, the Houthis said. Both sides would meet again for further talks, the Houthis said.

Asked whether Grundberg and Guterres believe there are prospects of a broader and permanent deal in Yemen by Eid al-Fitr on Friday, the spokesman said that making calendar predictions is a dangerous game.

"That is not to underestimate the importance of what is happening today and over the next two days, as well as the talks we've seen hosted by the Omani authorities. It is all very hopeful. But it demands a continued political determination from all the parties to rally around and support the UN-supported political process," said the spokesman.

On Saturday, the Yemeni government also welcomed Saudi Arabia's efforts to revitalize the peace process in Yemen after the recent visit of a Saudi diplomatic delegation to Yemen's Sanaa.

In a statement, the Yemeni ministry commended "the continuous efforts of Saudi Arabia in alleviating human suffering and reinvigorating the peace process in Yemen".

The Saudi-Houthi negotiations, brokered by Oman, have gained momentum following a deal last month between Saudi Arabia and Iran to restore their diplomatic ties.

The Saudi exit strategy appears to have gained new impetus from a landmark rapprochement deal announced with Iran last month.

The China-brokered agreement calls for the two countries to fully restore diplomatic ties following a seven-year rupture, and has the potential to rebuild regional ties.

More than 150,000 people have been killed in the conflict in Yemen, and it has created one of the world's worst humanitarian disasters.

Xinhua - Agencies